Department for Transport

Railways: Portsmouth

Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much taxpayer funding is being saved per month by having only one fast train per hour on the Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour line rather than the two that were provided prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Not running the second fast service between Portsmouth Harbour and Waterloo would be saving an estimated £3.6 million per annum. The Department and South West Railway (SWR) will continue to monitor capacity and demand levels on that line and across the network.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Energy: Business

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, given that the energy price cap does not apply to businesses, and that the spot price of natural gas has increased from 47 pence per therm in March 2021 to 296.89 pence per therm in March 2022, what support they intend to provide to businesses, particularly those with high energy use.

Lord Callanan: The Government recognises this continues to be a worrying time for businesses facing pressures due to the significant increases in global gas prices. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has met representatives of the UK’s high energy-using sectors in recent months in order to better understand the impact of energy costs on their businesses, and extensive engagement with industry continues across government at both ministerial and official levels. A Government priority is to ensure that supplies of energy are maintained. In order to help our industry to remain strong and competitive, between 2013 and 2020, total relief to energy intensive industries for electricity policy costs of over £2 billion was provided. This has so far helped over 270 businesses across the UK. In 2020 alone, the Government provided relief to Energy Intensive Industries (EII) for electricity policy costs worth over £470million. It was announced on 7 April 2022 in the Energy Security Strategy that the EII Compensation Scheme will be extended for a further three years to protect manufacturing sectors from high electricity costs. The Government is increasing the level of aid intensity for the scheme from 75% to up to 100% to reduce the electricity price burden for eligible businesses. This represents more than doubling of the current budget to support energy intensive industries.

Electrical Goods: Standards

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Callanan on 5 April (HL Deb col 1963), what plans they have to ensure the rapid development of common standards and language for (1) household appliances, (2) heat pumps, (3) electric vehicle chargers, and (4) other electrical devices, for demand-side response flexibility.

Lord Callanan: The Government is taking action to ensure there are appropriate standards in place for smart devices, essential in delivering demand side flexibility and a smarter energy system. The Government has sponsored the development of technical standards for devices that have high potential for domestic demand side response, called Energy Smart Appliances, through an industry-led process with the British Standards Institution. A new standard, Publicly Available Standard 1878, was published in May 2021 for heat pumps, household appliances, battery storage and Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargepoints. The Government has already taken action to standardise EV chargepoints. In December 2021, the Government laid the Smart Chargepoints Regulations, which will come into force on 30th June this year. These regulations mandate that most chargepoints sold for private use on the GB market must be smart and meet minimum device level standards.

Agriculture: Land

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they expect to reconcile food security and self-sufficiency with plans to install solar panels on agricultural land.

Lord Callanan: Solar is a cheap, versatile, and effective technology that will help limit household electricity bills and ensure Britain is less affected by fluctuations in volatile global gas prices. The Government recognises the need to preserve productive arable farmland. Planning guidance prioritises the effective use of land and encourages the deployment of large- scale solar farms on previously developed and non-agricultural land. Where greenfield sites are considered, projects should be designed to avoid, mitigate and, where necessary, compensate for impacts. The government supports solar that is co-located with other functions (for example, agriculture, onshore wind generation, or storage) to maximise the efficiency of land use. The UK has a high degree of food security built on supply from diverse sources; strong domestic production, as well as imports through stable trade routes.

Attorney General

Prosecutions: Mental Health

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Lord Stewart of Dirleton on 1 December 2021 (HL4164), what assessment they have made of the effect waiting that over three years for a determination from the Crown Prosecution Service will have on the mental health of those accused of crimes.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: Ensuring the timely delivery of justice and minimising delay is a key priority for the criminal justice system. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to ensuring that the rights of the suspect and defendant are balanced with the rights of victims of crime, the seriousness of the offending, and the need to safeguard the public when considering each case on its own merits, as set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The CPS continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to ensure early engagement, proactive case management, robust case progression and effective and timely decision making.

Department of Health and Social Care

Hospital Wards: Gender

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to redraft Annex B of the NHS document, Delivering Same-Sex Accommodation, published in September 2019, to implement recommendations made in the new Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance relating to single-sex wards in hospitals and nursing homes.

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impartiality of the individual who is rewriting Annex B of the NHS document, Delivering Same-Sex Accommodation, published in September 2019.

Lord Kamall: NHS England is reviewing this guidance and will consider the recommendations made by the Equality and Human Rights Commission during this review. The Department will ensure that any revised guidance adheres to relevant equalities legislation.The review is led by the Chief Nursing Officer for England and the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer as the Senior Responsible Officer. The review is overseen by a steering group including representatives from the Department, the CQC, NHS England and NHS Improvement clinical leads, NHS England's safeguarding Lead, and representatives from civil society organisations including the LGBT Foundation, Stonewall, Sex Matters and Fair Play for Women. Any revised guidance will be approved by senior leaders in the organisation and comply with relevant equalities legislation.

Medical Equipment: Innovation

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further the publication by NICE of NICE healthy technology evaluations: the manual on 22 January, how they plan to fast-track any “true innovation” which is supported by (a) NICE MedTech Innovation Briefing, or (b) other “sufficient” evidence, into the relevant NHS Supply Chain Framework agreement.

Lord Kamall: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has no current plans to fast-track any ‘true innovation’ supported by MedTech Innovation Briefings (MIBs) or other ‘sufficient’ evidence. NICE’s MIBs are designed to support the National Health Service, social care commissioners and staff considering using new medical devices and other medical or diagnostic technologies. MIBs aim to be fast, flexible and responsive to the need for information on innovative technologies, which do not make recommendations or constitute NICE guidance and follow a much shorter development process. In addition, technologies where NICE has issued a MIB are not automatically adopted into the NHS Supply Chain. It is for the relevant commissioner to make decisions on usage, taking into account the available evidence. Should production capacity be unable to meet MIBs’ demand in a given period, prioritisation of the commissioning schedule will be made based on the importance of the topics to the NHS and in discussion with NHS England where necessary. The MedTech Funding Mandate was introduced in April 2021 to support an accelerated uptake of clinically effective and cost-saving medical devices, diagnostics and digital technologies recommended through NICE’s medical technologies or diagnostics guidance. NHS Supply Chain was the agreed route for the first four products selected by NHS England and NHS Improvement to be funded in 2021/22.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toimprove communication with immunocompromised patients who have not been informed about access to free COVID-19 PCR tests; and what steps they will take to ensure that those patients continue to get the latest information about treatments for COVID-19.

Lord Kamall: Vulnerable patients who are clinically eligible for antiviral and antibody treatments have been identified digitally, where possible. These patients should have received a ‘pre-notification’ letter or email to advise them that they may be eligible to receive these treatments directly, should they test positive for COVID-19. Some potentially eligible patients are not centrally identifiable using national databases, such as those who are newly diagnosed and some cancer patients. Those patients are being contacted directly by their consultants. NHS England circulated information to general practices and wrote to medical directors at National Health Service trusts and clinical commissioning groups, to provide an update on patient access to treatments from COVID Medicine Delivery Units (CMDU) from 1 April 2022. This information has been cascaded to clinicians to advise their patients on accessing treatments from CMDUs. Consultants and specialists have been requested to contact eligible patients to provide further information.

Health Professions: Labour Turnover

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the combined impact on NHS retention levels of (1) the rising cost of living, and (2) the increasing numbers of new nurses needing to start paying back student-funded tuition fees.

Lord Kamall: This year, the Government is looking to the independent pay review body for recommendations on pay for National Health Service staff. Retention is a factor considered by the pay review body when making its recommendation, in addition to the cost of living and value for the taxpayer. The Government will consider the recommendations when received.No specific assessment has been made of the impact of nurses paying back student loans on NHS retention levels. In 2017, nursing students became eligible for the standard student finance package rather than receiving an NHS bursary. The tuition fee and student loan system in England is designed to ensure that those who benefit financially from higher education make a fair contribution towards its cost. Repayments are linked to earnings and monthly repayments are calculated as a fixed percentage of earnings above the relevant student loan repayment threshold. No repayments are required when borrowers are earning below the relevant repayment amount. Any outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is written off after the loan terms ends with no detriment to the borrower.

Diabetes: Health Education

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatpercentage of patients who joined the Diabetes Prevention programme between 2018 and 2019 failed to complete the course; and what steps they are taking to improve completion rates.

Lord Kamall: The information is not collected in the format requested as the NHS Diabetes Prevention programme is of nine months’ duration, where patients may commence support at any point during a calendar year. Completion rates are not collected on a yearly basis. However, data is collected for reference periods to identify cohorts of service users who have completed the programme within a specific time.Providers of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme are updating session availability to support increased convenience and reduce waiting times. The support available for participants is being amended to encourage continued engagement outside of sessions such as meetings with a health coach and facilitated peer support groups.

Lord Bethall: Abingdon Health

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department of Health and Social Care maintains records of any Government business conducted from Ministers' personal phones; whether any such records were kept of communications betweenLord Bethell and Abingdon Health during his term as a Government Minister; and what were the dates of any such messages registered.

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, of the (1) WhatsApp, and (2) text, messages that Lord Bethell (a) received, and (b) sent, in relation to Abingdon Health from his private mobile telephone while a Minister, how many did officials from the Department of Health and Social Care (i) see, and (ii) record.

Lord Kamall: The Department has conducted a search of communication records and found no record of WhatsApp or text messages between the former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Bethell) and any employee of Abingdon Health. Nor has the Department found any record of officials having sight of any such messages. The Department’s engagement with Abingdon Health was led by officials and these communications have been retained.

Department for Education

Schools: Coronavirus

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of reports of schools being told to dispose of COVID-19 testing kits.

Baroness Barran: Regular asymptomatic testing is no longer recommended in any education or childcare setting, including in special educational needs and disabilities providers, alternative provision, and children’s social care. This may mean that some providers have surplus stock of COVID-19 test kits that are no longer needed. The UK Health Security Agency will be issuing further communications to education providers in due course about how to manage any surplus stock. In the meantime, education providers have been advised to continue to store any remaining test kits and to no longer hand out test kits to staff or pupils or dispose of test kits, unless they have expired.

Citizenship: Education

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to revise the inspection criteria for citizenship education with Ofsted; and what plans they have to publish (1) any correspondence, or (2) minutes of meetings (including the meeting on 15 March,) with Ofsted.

Baroness Barran: Ofsted, as a separate government department and independent inspectorate, is responsible for the criteria in its inspection framework and handbooks. On 21 February, Ofsted wrote to the Chair of the House of Lords Liaison Committee, Lord Gardiner of Kimble, setting out its inspection approach regarding citizenship education. The letter is available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/9100/documents/159384/default/. The department has subsequently discussed this matter with Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. The Chief Inspector has confirmed that citizenship education forms a significant, but proportionate, part of school inspections. There are no plans to publish correspondence or minutes relating to discussions on this matter. The government will respond in due course to ‘The Ties that Bind: Citizenship and Civic Engagement in the 21st Century Follow-up report’, which includes recommendations relating to the inspection of citizenship education.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Gender Recognition

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take in response to the guidance by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on single sex spaces in relation to the prison and probation services, published on 4 April as part of the review of The Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender policy.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service take the allocation of transgender prisoners very seriously. Prisoners are allocated to prisons initially according to their legal gender, which for the vast majority will be their sex recorded at birth. Decisions to locate differently, at any point during a sentence, are made on a case-by-case basis by a Complex Case Board - an expert multi-disciplinary panel chaired by a senior operational manager in HMPPS with specialist training. According to our latest data collection, over 90% of transgender prisoners are held in a prison matching their legal gender. The Equality and Human Rights Commission's new guidance will not affect our approach, which was recently judged by the High Court to be reasonable and proportionate, and therefore lawful.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Northern Ireland Protocol

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they had with EU Vice PresidentMaroš Šefčovič in the month of March regarding the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will next be meeting EU Vice PresidentMaroš Šefčovič to disucss the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in their discussions with EU officials on changes to the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: There is ongoing contact between officials in the UK and EU. Both the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have discussed the protocol with their counterparts in the Commission in recent weeks. We have and continue to make clear our determination to address all outstanding issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol and to find durable solutions as soon as possible for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland.

Indonesia: West Papua

Lord Harries of Pentregarth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they will make to the government of Indonesia regarding the statement by UN special rapporteurs on 1 March detailing human rights abuses in West Papua; and in particular, the findings of (1) extrajudicial killings, including of young children, (2) enforced disappearances, torture and displacement of Papuans by Indonesian security forces, and (3) the obstruction of humanitarian aid to the displaced.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK fully respects the territorial integrity of Indonesia, which includes the provinces of Papua and West Papua. We regularly discuss Papua with our Indonesian counterparts and a team from the British Embassy Jakarta visited Papua in March 2022 where they met with government officials, law enforcement representatives, local businesses, young entrepreneurs, educators and religious leaders to discuss a wide range of issues including the security situation and economic development in the province.The UK Government continues to support the efforts of the Indonesian authorities and civil society to address the needs and aspirations of the Papuan people, including strengthening human rights protections, providing humanitarian assistance and ensuring that all Papuans benefit from the sustainable and equitable development of their province. We support Indonesia's engagement with the UN, including the proposed visit on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to Papua and encourage both sides to agree on dates.

Gaza: Israel

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel about its reasons for (1) refusing, and (2) delaying, permits for medical treatment for children in Gaza.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to monitor closely the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza. We are a longstanding supporter to the UN Relief and Works Agency, which provides core services, including healthcare to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and across the wider region. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv recently raised the importance of access to healthcare, including for children, with the Israeli authorities.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the restrictions imposed by the government of Israel on (1) the movement of Palestinians within Palestinian territories, and (2) Palestinians seeking to travel abroad.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly raises the issue of freedom of movement and access into and out of the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities. We recognise Israel's legitimate need to deploy security measures and we encourage them to deploy these in a way that minimises tension.

Mohammad Shehadeh

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 March (HL6555), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what representations they have made, if any, to the government of Israel regarding the killing of 13-year-old Mohammad Rezq Shehadeh Salah by Israeli forces near Bethlehem.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 March (HL6555), what assessment they have made of the findings by the Defence for Children in Palestine report on 31 March, which found that (1) five Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces this year, and (2) that 2021 was the deadliest year for Palestinian children since 2014 with 78 children killed by Israeli forces and armed Israeli civilians.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly raise the issue of the high numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defense Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.

Azerbaijan: Nagorno Karabakh

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan about the importance of adhering to the terms of the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement; and in particular, the provision that parties "shall stop at their current positions".

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government continues to monitor the ongoing tensions on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We have raised the importance of regional stability and security in our contacts with partners in the region, including both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Ministry of Defence

Reserve Forces: Medals

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether volunteer reserves serving in (1) the Royal Gibraltar Regiment; (2) the Cayman Islands Regiment, (3) the Turks and Caicos Regiment, (4) the Bermuda Regiment, (5) the Falkland Islands Defence Force, and (6) the Royal Montserrat Defence Force, are entitled to qualify for (a) the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal, and (b) the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal.

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether regular officers and soldiers serving in (1) the Royal Gibraltar Regiment; (2) the Cayman Islands Regiment, (3) the Turks and Caicos Regiment, (4) the Bermuda Regiment, (5) the Falkland Islands Defence Force, and (6) the Royal Montserrat Defence Force, are entitled to qualify for (a) the Long Service, and (b) the Good Conduct Medal.

Baroness Goldie: Full and part-time members of British Overseas Territories Defence Forces and Regiments were formerly eligible for the same long service and efficiency awards as UK Reserve Forces. With successive policy changes over the past few decades and particularly following the introduction of the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal in 1999, it is acknowledged there is a need to ensure clarity in relation to the grounds for eligibility. The basis for continued eligibility to UK awards is currently under review and the outcome will be communicated in due course.

Department for Work and Pensions

Local Housing Allowance

Baroness Thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have topublish details of the average gap between the Local Housing Allowance and rents, broken down by (1) local authority, and (2) parliamentary constituency.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The department currently has no plans to publish details of the average gap between the Local Housing Allowance and rents for any geographical breakdowns.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bread: Sugar

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the legislation to replace the Bread and Flour Regulations will (1) reduce, or (2) ban, sugar added in the making of manufactured bread.

Lord Benyon: Defra alongside the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Northern Ireland and Wales, Food Standards Scotland, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Scottish and Welsh Governments are currently conducting a review of The Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 and The Bread and Flour (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1998 to ensure the regulations are fit for purpose, supporting industry while protecting consumers. To assist the review, Defra convened a technical working group made up of a wide range of relevant stakeholders to help identify and explore issues around the regulations which cover the compositional requirements of bread and flour. We will consult on potential legislative changes to the Bread and Flour Regulations.The Sugar Reduction Programme (2016-2020) led by Public Health England challenged businesses across all sectors of the food industry to reduce the amount of sugar in foods that contribute most to children's sugar intakes. This does not include bread but does include cake, biscuits and morning goods (e.g. buns, pastries etc).

Fishing Vessels

Lord Krebs: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in light of the sustainability objective in section 2(b) of the Fisheries Act 2020, what steps they will take in order to determine whether current fleet capacity matches available fishing opportunities.

Lord Benyon: The UK produces an annual fleet capacity report which assesses how effectively the fleet is operating. The Government is committed to engage with stakeholders to address sustainability and fleet management issues through Fisheries Management Plans. The current management system of licences and quota restrictions ensure that the sustainability objectives in the Fisheries Act are addressed, with licence conditions amended where necessary to match demand against fishing opportunities.

Coral Reefs: British Overseas Territories

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of stony coral tissue loss disease on the (1) economy, (2) biodiversity, and (3) climate resilience, of the UK’s Overseas Territories in the Caribbean.

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible spread of stony coral tissue loss disease to areas beyond the Caribbean.

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of the UK’s Overseas Territories in the Caribbean about stony coral tissue loss disease.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government has been working closely with our Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic in response to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). In 2020/2021, HMG’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) funded a Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group with the Caribbean OTs. This group actively welcomes input from OT government representatives, non-governmental organisations and other key stakeholders involved in coral conservation and SCTLD treatment. This group has met at least once a month since December 2020 to discuss all aspects of SCTLD, including treatment and management options. Its funding has been secured through to March 2024. As part of the Disaster Resilience in the UK OTs and the Coral Reef Action Plans projects funded by CSSF, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) are assessing the impact of coral loss and degradation on climate resilience, biodiversity and the economy. The reports, which will include the refined model outputs, risk maps and economic valuation report, will be available in the coming months. Beyond the Caribbean, the Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group includes Bermuda in all activities due to its proximity to the Caribbean region. Links have also been made to UK OTs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans through other UK agencies to ensure that access to the Working Group’s resources and training materials will allow for prevention and early detection of the disease should it spread to these regions.

Animals: Ukraine

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the current rabies requirements for Ukrainian animals arriving into (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Northern Ireland, and (4) Wales; and if there are any differences between those requirements, what are the reasons for those differences.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are processing Ukrainian pet import applications as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining our biosecurity standards. The UK has been rabies-free for many years, and we wish to remain so. The current requirements for a cat, dog or ferret to enter the United Kingdom from Ukraine are as follows: they have been identified by a microchip or a clearly readable tattoo applied before 03 July 2011 prior to vaccination;after 12 weeks of age, have been vaccinated against rabies;at least 30 days after the preceding primary vaccination within a current valid vaccination series (or the last of the primary course of vaccinations) a blood sample must be drawn and sent to a European Union (EU) approved laboratory for testing;a satisfactory blood test result must show the rabies antibody titre was equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml;the animal must complete a waiting period of 3 calendar months after the date that the sample was drawn;in the case of dogs be treated for Echinococcus multilocularis (tapeworm) with an approved product not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours prior to arrival in UK.  However, the Government recognises that people fleeing Ukraine with their pets may not have been able to complete this process, or may not have paperwork verifying their pet’s health status. We have therefore put in place new emergency support for those fleeing Ukraine with their pets. Using an emergency licence, people fleeing Ukraine can bring their non-compliant pets to the UK with any quarantine costs met by the Government. The maximum stay in quarantine for a pet which has received no rabies vaccination is four months. England, Wales and Scotland have introduced a new rabies ELISA blood test that confirms rabies vaccination through detection of rabies antibodies. This will help in instances where refugees have travelled without vaccination paperwork. Results can be turned around in a minimum of 3 days with some animals then moving to isolation if they pass the test. This will help maintain our strict biosecurity measures and allow people to be reunited more quickly with their pets when possible. This test is not available in Northern Ireland which remains aligned with the EU. These new arrangements are only in place for people fleeing Ukraine with their pets. It is not available to rescue animals, commercial movements or to pets travelling apart from their owners, all of whom must continue to meet the full health requirements before entering the UK. England and Scotland have temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland or Romania, until 14 May 2022. There are no other differences to the rabies import requirements of pets between the Devolved Administrations.

Biodiversity: British Overseas Territories

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consider the biodiversity of the UK’s Overseas Territories at the forthcoming Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15); and what expectations they have for the contribution that the UK’s Overseas Territories will make in respect of achieving the UK’s overall biodiversity targets.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is seeking an ambitious outcome for nature at COP15. We will be supporting a set of goals and targets to halt and reverse the loss of global biodiversity by 2030. The UK Overseas Territories (OTs) are biodiversity hotspots containing 94% of the UK’s endemic species. The Government recognises the need to continue to support the UK Overseas Territories in protecting their unique environments. Since 2012, Darwin Plus, Defra’s flagship Overseas Territory environmental grants fund, has awarded over £32 million to over 162 projects in the OTs, helping the OTs and the UK to meet international obligations and deliver the UK 25 Year Environment Plan. The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out the Government’s ambition in protecting biodiversity in the UKOTs. As a result, the Government is taking action to recover threatened, iconic or economically important species of animals, plants and fungi, and where possible to prevent human-induced extinction or loss of known threatened species in the OTs. Furthermore, supported by the UK Government, OTs have put in place a Blue Belt of marine protection and sustainable management over more than 4 million square kilometres, with more OTs set to join the Programme. This means that the UK has made a significant contribution to protecting 30% of the world’s oceans and their biodiversity. The Goal and targets agreed at COP15 will be global. All Parties will be expected to contribute according to national circumstances, but the UK will demonstrate global leadership in taking steps to deliver them. Actions taken domestically, and in the OTs, will all have a role to play.

Home Office

Refugees: Ukraine

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the Ukrainian refugee visa schemes to include temporary places for (1) students, and (2) academics.

Lord Harrington of Watford: The Government has no plans to extend its Ukraine humanitarian visas to include temporary places for students or academics.For Ukrainians wishing to come to the UK to escape the Russian invasion, the Government has opened the Ukraine Family Scheme for those with existing family ties to the UK, and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme for those who do not. The Government has also announced the Ukraine Extension Scheme to allow Ukrainians here on temporary visas to obtain three years’ leave to remain and the ability to work and access public services, in line with the other two Ukraine Schemes.Ukrainian students and academics who do not wish to apply for one of these Schemes can choose to apply for visas under the existing points based system, provided they meet existing eligibility criteria.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Solent Freeport

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they decided to establish Southampton as a freeport whether they had any discussions with AB Ports regarding the powers and charges of Harbour Revision Orders relating to users of the harbour waters.

Lord Greenhalgh: Freeports were selected through an open and transparent process based on consideration of the criteria in the Freeports Bidding Prospectus [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freeports-bidding-prospectus] and in accordance with the Freeports Decision-Making Note [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freeports-bidding-prospectus/english-freeports-selection-decision-making-note].Harbour Revision Orders (HRO) (which is a devolved process handled by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) for English ports) can be used to alter a range of port powers. Any initial discussions regarding a possible HRO would take place with the MMO initially, with other departments only becoming involved at the consultation stage of the order. HL7842 Freeports Bidding Prospectus final (pdf, 981.2KB)HL7842 English Freeports selection decision-making (docx, 22.9KB)

Freeports

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in the plan deliver at least one freeport in each of (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, and (3) Northern Ireland, as set out in The Benefits of Brexit: How the UK is taking advantage of leaving the EU, published on 31 January.

Lord Greenhalgh: On 25 March 2022 the UK Government and the Scottish Government jointly published the bidding prospectus for two Green Freeports in Scotland, inviting applicants to bid for Green Freeport Status. The bidding period will close on 20 June 2022. We aim to announce winning bids in late summer 2022.  The Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up has discussed establishing a Freeport in Wales with counterparts in the Welsh Government. Good progress is being made towards an agreement that would see a Freeport delivered in Wales as part of a shared endeavour between the UK Government and the Welsh Government.The UK Government is committed to extending the Freeports programme to Northern Ireland as soon as possible.

Cabinet Office

EU Law: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential divergence in laws and policies between Great Britain and Northern Ireland resulting from the review of EU retained law.

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the process for taking the views of Northern Ireland (1) Ministers, and (2) stakeholders, into account during the review of the status and substance of retained EU law.

Lord True: The Government has now delivered the review into the status and substance of retained EU law and is using the outcome of both reviews to inform the content of the ‘Brexit Freedoms Bill’.We remain committed to engaging with devolved governments using Common Frameworks and other existing intergovernmental structures.

Treasury

Taxation: Domicil

Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the taxation of residence and domicile.

Baroness Penn: The Government believes that the tax system needs to be competitive and attractive, so that those people who will generate growth and jobs will want to reside here. However, it is also right that those who stay in the UK longer-term pay tax in the same way as everybody else, which is why the Government changed the rules in 2017 to end permanent non-domicile status.The Government published its Tax Plan at the recent Budget which set out a vision for a lower tax economy for everyone, supporting growth in the economy and ensuring the proceeds of that growth are shared fairly. Decisions on taxation are a matter for the Chancellor and are considered as part of the budget process. As with all aspects of the tax system, the Government will keep this under review.